ELEVEN of the 23 people arrested over the alleged plane plot have been remanded in custody, as police confirmed that martyrdom videos and bomb making equipment had been found.

Eight of the suspects - including Muslim convert Brian Young, a High Wycombe man who was brought up Christian - were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and preparing acts of terrorism.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the charges related to an alleged plot to "manufacture and smuggle the component parts of improvised explosive devices onto aircraft and assemble and detonate them on board".

Two were accused of failing to disclose information, including Cossar Ali, 23, the mother of an eight-month-old baby.

A 17-year-old boy was charged with possessing articles useful to a person preparing acts of terrorism. According to his charge sheet, these "articles" allegedly include a book on bombs, suicide notes and the wills of people prepared to commit terrorist acts.

On Tuesday, all the suspects were taken from the high security Paddington Green police station to the City of Westminster magistrate's court in separate vans with blacked out windows.

All 11 suspects denied the charges against them and were remanded in custody. There were no bail applications.

Chemicals and electrical components

In an unusual step, the Met's deputy assistant commissioner Peter Clarke gave detailed information about the police investigation.

"First, there is evidence from surveillance carried out before 10th August. This includes important, indeed, highly significant video and audio recordings," he said.

"I can also tell you that since 10th August we have found bomb making equipment. There are chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, electrical components, documents and other items.

"We have also found a number of video recordings - these are sometimes referred to as martyrdom videos. This has all given us a clearer picture of the alleged plot."

Britain is still on "critical" alert 11 days after police foiled the alleged plot to blow up several planes travelling from the UK to the US.

One woman was freed without charge, while the 11 other suspects remain in custody and under investigation.

Susan Hemming, head of the CPS counter terrorism division, said: "Their position is being assessed on a regular basis with a view to considering the need to keep them in detention.

"We cannot yet make a decision about whether further charges will follow or if a further application for detention will be made on Wednesday as the evidential picture is continuously developing."

On Monday, police were granted more time to question one of the 11 uncharged suspects until Wednesday.

'Immense investigation'

Mr Clarke said the investigation was immense and enquiries would span the globe.

"I would like to reassure the public that we are doing everything we can to keep you safe, for you to live your lives without being in constant fear," he said.

"However, we must be realistic. The threat from terrorism is real, it is here, it is deadly and it is enduring.

"As we all look for explanations, we cannot afford to be complacent and ignore the reality of what we face."

He said there had been 69 searches of houses, flats and business premises, vehicles and open spaces.

"As well as the bomb making equipment, we have found more than 400 computers, 200 mobile telephones and 8,000 items of removable storage media such as memory sticks, CDs and DVDs," he said.

"So far, from the computers alone, we have removed some 6,000 gigabytes of data.

"The meticulous investigation of all this material will take many months. All the data will be analysed.

"There will be thousands of forensic examinations and comparisons. Fingerprints, DNA, electronic data, handwriting comparisons, chemical analysis, and indeed the full range of forensic disciplines will be used."

Hundreds of flights departing the UK have been cancelled since the alleged plot was foiled on August 10 and heightened security restrictions - including a ban on liquids - remain in place.

CHARGE DETAILS

  • Those charged with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism include four men from Walthamstow, east London: Ahmed Abdullah Ali, 25; Arafat Waheed Khan, 25; Adam Khatib, 19; and Waheed Zaman, 22.

Tanvir Hussain, 25, of Leyton in east London, Umar Islam (Brian Young), 28, of Stratford in east London, Ibrahim Savant, 25, of London N16, and Assad Ali Sarwar, 26, of High Wycombe, face the same charges.

All eight have been remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on September 4.

  • Cossar Ali, 23, of Walthamstow, and Mehran Hussain, a man of Chingford in east London, were charged with failing to disclose information. They will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 19.
  • A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with possessing articles useful to a person preparing acts of terrorism. He was remanded until August 29.